d
the strange little creature did seem to be possessed of some of the
magic powers she claimed. As if to convince Isabelle that she was
not merely boasting, she continued, "Let me think a moment, to make a
plan--don't speak nor move, for the least sound interferes with me--I
must listen to the spirit."

Chiquita bent down her head, put her hand over her eyes, and remained
for several minutes perfectly motionless; then she raised her head and
without a word went and opened the window, clambered up on the sill, and
gazed out intently into the darkness.

"Is she really going to take flight?" said Isabelle to herself, as she
anxiously watched Chiquita's movements, not knowing what to expect.
Exactly opposite to the window, on the other side of the moat, was an
immense tree, very high and old, whose great branches, spreading out
horizontally, overhung the water; but the longest of them did not reach
the wall of the chateau by at least ten feet. It was upon this tree,
however, that Chiquita's plan for escape depended. She turned away from
the window, drew from her pocket a long cord made of horse-hair, very
fine and strong, which she carefully unrolled to its full length and
laid upon the floor; then produced from another pocket an iron hook,
which she fastened securely to the cord. This done to her satisfaction,
she went to the window again, and threw the end of the cord with the
hook into the branches of the tree. The first time she was unsuccessful;
the iron hook fell and struck against the stone wall beneath the
casement; but at the second attempt the hook caught and held, and
Chiquita, drawing the cord taut, asked Isabelle to take hold of it
and bear her whole weight on it, until the branch was bent as far as
possible towards the chateau--coming five or six feet nearer to the
window where they were. Then Chiquita tied the cord firmly to the
ornamental iron railing of the tiny balcony, with a knot that could not
slip, climbed over, and grasping the cord with both hands, swung herself
off, and hung suspended over the waters of the moat far below. Isabelle
held her breath. With a rapid motion of the hands Chiquita crossed the
clear space, reached the tree safely, and climbed down into it with the
agility of a monkey.

"Now undo the knot so that I can take the cord with me," she said, in
a low but very distinct tone of voice to Isabelle, who began to breathe
freely again, "unless, indeed, you would like to follow me. But